Continuously operating whirl chamber arrangement

ABSTRACT

A whirl chamber comprises at its bottom portion a series of nozzles operable for introducing upward streams of a fluid medium. The fluid is being discharged at the top of the chamber. A guiding shield associated with a transverse, spiral-like partition extends through the interior of the chamber. The nozzles are directed towards one side of the shield and between individual windings of the partition. Material to be treated is introduced at one end of the chamber and is carried upwardly by the first fluid stream emanating from the first nozzle; at the top edge of the shield the material is returned to the other side of the shield and directed by the partition to the region of a subsequent nozzle, until discharged at the opposite end of the chamber.

United States Patent [1 91 Dollbaum Dec. 10, 1974 54] CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING WHIRL 860,929 7/1901 Merrelletal. 99/570 CHAMBER ARRANGEMENT 39189460 Inventor: Wilhelm Dollbaum, Kalderihausen,

.Germany Holtz & Willemsen G.m.b.H., Krefeld-Uerdingen, Germany Filed: Oct. 24, 1972 Appl. No.: 299,787

Related US. Application Data Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 116,142, Feb. 17, 1971, Pat. No. 3,782,968.

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 19, 1970 Germany 2007588 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Lawton.. 34/22 6/1965 Smith, Jr 99/473 Primary Examiner -Leon G. Machlin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ernest F. Marmorek [57] ABSTRACT A whirl chamber comprises at its bottom portion a series of nozzles operable for introducing upward streams of a fluid medium. The fluid is being discharged at the top of the chamber. A guiding shield associated with a transverse, spiral-like partition extends through the interior of the chamber. The nozzles are directed towards one side of the shield and between individual windings of the partition. Material to be treated is introduced at one end of the chamber and is carried upwardly by the first fluid stream emanating from the first nozzle; at the top edge of the shield the material is returned to the other side of the shield and directed by the partition to the region of a subsequent nozzle, until discharged at the opposite end of the chamber. 7

8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED 55B 1 W 4 Sliil 30$ 3 g FLOW DIAGRAM PATH or THE (qOODg TO BE TREATED PATH OF THE WHHZUNQ MEDlUM CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING WHIRL CHAMBER ARRANGEMENT REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation-in-part of the application Ser. No. 116,142 filed on Feb. 17, 1971 and entitled Method Of Treatment of Leguminous Seeds, Especially Soya Beans, For Providing Starting Material For The Production Of Refined Full Fat Leguminous Flour And Device For Performing The Same and now US. Pat. No. 3,782,968, issued .Ian. 1, 1974.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a whirl chamber arrangement operable for continuous treatment of granular material by a fluid medium acting upon the particles of the material for a predetermined period of time. The whirl chamber of this invention has the advantage of a many-sided use for different kinds of material and of continuous operation. The dwell periods or the duration of treatment of the material in the whirl chamber can be adjusted in a very simple manner without the use of additional controlling devices.

In contrast to the conventional intermittent treatment of the goods within the whirl chamber, the continuously operating whirl chamber arrangement of this invention provides for an almost complete recovery of the treating fluid and of the heat energy.

The whirl chamber of this invention is applicable for various manners of treatment of granular goods. For instance, it is suitable for mechanical processing, such as dehulling of beans and/or for the simultaneous treatment of the material by a gaseous medium which acts upon all particles and exposes them for a predetermined time to a predetermined temperature which is required, for example, during the steam treatment, roasting or hot or frost drying.

In the parent application Ser. No. 116,142, there is described a whirl chamber for dehulling and/or debittering'soya bean fragments wherein the whirling medium is jetted upwardly through a set of nozzles disposed at the bottom of the whirl chamber. The granular material to be treated is introduced into the whirl chamber where it is taken up by the whirling steam or other fluid emanating from the nozzles and whirled for a predetermined time around a central baffle or guiding shield. After a predetermined time interval of treatment, the processed amount of material is discharged through a discharge sluice.

Such an intermittentlycontrolled whirl chamber is suitable particularly for the dehulling of soya beans with the aid of pressurized air or for treatment of the soya beans by superheated steam.

The disadvantage of the above described whirl chamber is in its intermittent operation, namely that the amount of the treated material is limited by the size of the chamber and that upon a predetermined time it must be discharged so as to make room for another batch of the granular material. It is evident that in Such a discontinuous mode of operation high energy losses take place, in addition to time lossesresulting from the discontinuous feeding and discharging steps.

It is therefore an object of this invention to avoid the disadvantages of the aforementioned intermittently operating whirl chamber.

In particular, an object of this invention is to provide a whirl chamber which reduces dwell periods of treated material.

Another object of this invention is to design a continuouly operating whirl chamber without the use of additional controlling and regulating devices which otherwise would be necessary for adjusting the time of treatment when various processing speeds are employed.

Still another object of this invention is to reduce the comsumption of heat energy.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide recirculation of the treating fluid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the aforementioned objects are attained by providing a series of nozzles or nozzle groups, or an elongated nozzle orifice arranged at the bottom of the whirl chamber for jetting upwardly the treating fluid; a guiding shield is arranged within the whirl chamber in such a manner that it divides in longitudinal direction the intermediate portion of the chamber into two chamber portions; furthermore, the guiding shield is provided with transverse ribs forming together a spiral-shaped partition wound in the longitudinal direction around the guiding shield, thereby creating a continuous spiral-shaped channel dividing the entire chamber between respective nozzles into a plurality of interconnected compartments. The nozzles are directed to one side of the guiding shield at which the channels resulting between the individual windings or compartments of the spiral-like partition are directed straight upwardly whereas on the opposite side the transverse winding or compartment portions are directed at an oblique angle into the region of the subsequent nozzle or nozzle group.

By this arrangement the material which is introduced laterally into the whirl chamber in the compartment of the first nozzle is seized by the upward stream of the treatment fluid emanating from the nozzle and is directed through the upright portion of the first winding or compartment of the spiral-like partition as high as to the upper edge of the guiding shield and turned over by its own weight into the downwardly inclined winding or compartment portion at the other side of the guiding shield and transferred into the region of the subsequent nozzle where the entire action is repeated and the resulting whirling movement of the material is continued so long until the processed material is discharged at a discharge opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING For a fuller understanding of the nature and object of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the continuously operating whirl chamber arrangement of this invention, taken along the longitudinal axis of the whirl chamber;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the whirl chamber of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a modification of the whirl chamber arrangement of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the modified portion of the chamber arrangement of FIG. 3;

FIG. is a perspective view of an insertable guiding shield with a spiral-like partition for the whirl chamber of this invention; and

FIG. 6 is a schematical diagram of the whirl chamber of this invention in connection with a recirculating station.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown an elongated whirl chamber 1 assembled of two or more similar units or modular sections. The treated goods are introduced into the chamber through a feeding sluice 5 which is located at a lateral wall of the chamber. At the bottom portion of the chamber 1 a series of nozzles 4.1 to 4.n communicates with the interior of the whirl chamber. A gaseousmedium is delivered to the nozzles through a common nozzle conduit 4. In this example, the slotted orifices of nozzles 4.1 to 4.n are spaced apart from each other at equal distances and are directed into the chamber at an angle. As it will be explained later, it is also possible to provide a simple elongated nozzle slot instead.

According to one feature of this invention, a guiding shield 3 is mounted in the direction of longitudinal axis approximately at the center of the intermediate portion of the chamber 1 and is surrounded by a series of transverse upright walls or flat ribs 12.1 to l2.n and 13.1 to 13.n which form together windings of a spiral-shaped partition supporting the guiding shield 3. Each winding 12 and 13 of the partition separates at one side of the shield 3 the nozzles 4 and, at the other side of the shield 3, provides through the inclined and downwardly directed walls 13 a passage leading into the region of a subsequent nozzle 4. The contour of the ribs 12 and 13 is in contact with the inner wall of the whirl chamber 1. The top portion of the whirl chamber 1 is provided with elongated outlet ports or slots 8 through which the streams of the fluid medium emanating from individual nozzles 4.1 to 4.n escape into a recirculating station as it will be explained later with reference to FIG. 6. In the opposite lateral wall of the whirl chamber there is provided a downwardly directed outlet sluice 6 through which the processed material is discharged.

The operation of the I whirl chamber as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is as follows;

Through the nozzle assembly 4.1 to 4.n the gaseous whirling medium is jetted upwardly between the upwardly directed walls or ribs 12.1 to l2.n of the spiral partition. The material to be treated is introduced through the feeding sluice 5 into the first channel or compartment formed between the windings of the partition, is seized by the u'psteam of the gaseous medium and lifted as high as to the upper edge of the guiding shield 3. At this turning point it starts descending and by way of the inclined portion of the first compartment between the winding of the partition it is transferred into the region of the subsequent nozzle 4.2 whereas the fluid stream from the first nozzle 4.1 is discharged through the port 8. In the second compartment or winding portion 13.2 the material is lifted in the same manner as in the first compartment 13.1 and this spiral movement of the material is repeated through all windings of the spiral-like partition and is continuously discharged through the downwardly directed sluice 6 at the last windings l2.n and 13.n.

The arrangement of the guiding shield 3 with the spiral-shaped partition is disclosed in more detail in FIG.

5 where the spiral movement of the treated granular material is indicated by arrows.

As schematically illustrated in FIG. 6, the gaseous medium when discharged from the port 8 enters a sepa- 5 rator A where light foreign substances which are admixed thereto during the treatment of the material are separated. The recovered fluid is fed into a blower L, therefrom into a heating and conditioning station E where it is adjusted to a desired temperature, moisture content and/or chemically treated. From the station E the fluid is forced back into the nozzle conduit 4 and jetted through respective nozzles 4.1 to 4.n into the chamber ll.

The material to be treated is first stored in a storage container V1, therefrom it is fed to a preparatory station Z where it is processed mechanically for instance, and therefrom into the feeding sluice 5. After passing the treatment, the material is discharged from the whirl chamber 1 through the discharging sluice 6 into a cooler K and subsequently stored in a storage container V2.

By the whirl chamber arrangement of this invention it is possible to predetermine exactly the exposure time of the reacting fluid medium provided that in the continuous process the streaming speed thereof remains constant. Small differences in the time of treatment may be compensated by the adjustment of the streaming speed. A full interaction is assured between the fluid and each particle of the granular material during the processing time. In addition, the whirl chamber arrangement of this invention makes it possible to process any kind of material provided that its weight and its aerodynamic properties permit it to be lifted by the jetted stream of the fluid medium.

As it has been mentioned above, the whirl chamber itself can be assembled in the form of adjacent modular construction units connected one to another to a desired length. Only the first construction module of the chamber is provided with the inlet or feeding sluice 5 and the last module has the outlet sluice 6.

In this disconnectably jointed arrangement of the whirl chamber 1, it is possible to employ different exchangeable spiral-like partitions, each having a different number of walls or ribs 12 and 13 with different pitch as it may be desired for a particular process. In exchanging the spiral partition inserts it is necessary to maintain the condition that each compartment or winding of the spiral partition embrace an equal number of nozzles 4, thereby attaining similar lifting effect of the upward streams of the fluid medium. For this purpose it is also advantageous to provide a single nozzle orifice or slot extending over the entire length of the bottom portion of the whirl chamber 1, instead of a plurality of spaced small nozzles- FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a modification of the whirl chamber of FIG. 1. As seen in FIG. 3, the first modular unit or section with compartments or windings 12.1 to 12.5 and 13.1 to 13.5 as well as the first compartment 12.6 and 13.6 in the second modular unit are identical with those as shown in FIG. 1. The remaining compartments or windings 13.7 to 13.n of the spiral-like partition communicate with additional discharging openings 14.1 to 14.n, respectively. In a conventional manner the additional openings 14.1 to 14m are provided with gates (not shown) permitting the selective closing of these openings, and in addition, each of them cooperates with one of transverse sliders 15.1 to l5.n which kinds of gaseous fluids as well as for all sorts of granular material which can be taken up. by the fluid. The dwell time of the processed material and the contact thereof with the treating medium can be gradually controlled by means of the aforementioned additional openings 14 and sliders 15, whereby an exact adjustment of the processing time is achieved by changing the streaming speed of the treating fluid.

The advantage of the whirl chamber arrangement of this invention is apparent especially in dehulling and debittering leguminous seeds such as soya beans processed in accordance with the method as described in the parent case Ser. No. 1 16,142. in the dehulling process, fragments of soya beans have been fed through the feeding sluice 5 into the first compartment of the whirling chamber 1. Pressure air has been blown upwardly through nozzles 4.1 to 4.n whereby the soya beans have travelled on the spiral path between the windings of the partition according to this invention. Lighter hulls and chaff particles have been carried upwardly and discharged simultaneously with the fluid medium through the discharging port 8. The dehulled soya beans have been continuouly discharged from the chamber 1 through the discharging sluice 6. Commercially dehulled soya beans are permitted to contain 3 percent of fibres and hull components. In the device of this invention the percentage of these undesired components could be reduced to l /2 percent which corresponds approximately to 1 percent of hulls.

The debittering treatment of soya beans according to the parent application Ser. No. l 16,142 is carried out by using the same dwell periods and temperatures as have been employed in the continuously operating whirl chamber arrangement. As treating fluid has been used an air-steam mixture at a ratio of two-third air to one-third steam and at a temperature of 250 C before the nozzles; the stream speed was approximately 11 meters per second. The temperature inside the chamber was approximately in the range from 150 to 170 C. The air steam mixture has been jetted upwards through the nozzles assembly 4.1 to'4.n into the space of the whirl chamber and discharged, simultaneously with loose hull particles, through the discharging port 8. The soya beans, after passing through all compartments or windings of the spiral-like partition, have resulted into dehulled soya bean grits which have been'continuously discharged through the discharging sluice 6, fed through acooler K and stored in a storage container V2. During the treatment, the desired moistureof the grits has been controlled by adding or reducing the steam portion.

The whirling fluid released through the port 8 at the top of the whirl chamber 1. has been separated in the separator A from admixed hulls, dust, as well as from other foreign substances such as soya bean chaff. Subsequently, the treating fluid is directed through a blower L into a conditioning station E where it is adjusted to proper temperature, moisture and/or to proper chemical composition; therefrom it is returned under the desired pressure into the nozzle assembly 4 again. v

The continuous method of treatment of granular material with the aid of the whirl chamber arrangement of this invention makes-it possible to increase substantially the output of processed goods and simultaneously to reduce the heat energy consumption when compared with the intermittently operating apparatus, although the expenditures for technical apparatus remain approximately the same.

We wish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention what we claim as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is as follows:

l. A whirl chamber arrangement for continuous treatment of granular material by a fluid acting upon the particles of the material for a predetermined time comprising in combination a whirl chamber having a bottom portion, an intermediate portion and a top portion;

a series of nozzles disposed atsaid bottom portion for introducing upward streams of said fluid into the chamber;

an outlet port arranged at said top portion for discharging said fluid;

a feeding opening disposed at one end section of said chamber for introducing said material therein and a discharging opening arranged at the opposite end section of the chamber,

a guiding shield extending within said chamber between said feeding opening and said discharging opening and spaced from said bottom and top portions, and separatingsaid intermediate portion,

said nozzles being directed to one side of said shield,

and

a continuous spiral-like partition separating said whirl chamber between respective nozzles and extending about said shield, whereby the introduced material is successively lifted by the fluid stream from a nozzle at one side of said shield and returned to the region of a subsequent nozzle at the other side of said shield until discharged through said discharging opening.

2. A whirl chamber arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said spiral-like partition includes upright portions disposed at said one side of said shield between respective nozzles and downwardly inclined portions disposed at the other side of said shield for guidtor operable for separating light waste components from said fluid.

5. A whirl chamber arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a central section of said whirl chamber located between said end sections is disconnectably assembled and adapted for receiving, at least, one additional central section matching with said end sections.

6. A whirl chamber arrangement according to claim 5, wherein said guiding shield together with said spirallike partition are exchangeably arranged within said 

1. A whirl chamber arrangement for continuous treatment of granular material by a fluid acting upon the particles of the material for a predetermined time comprising in combination a whirl chamber having a bottom portion, an intermediate portion and a top portion; a series of nozzles disposed at said bottom portion for introducing upward streams of said fluid into the chamber; an outlet port arranged at said top portion for discharging said fluid; a feeding opening disposed at one end section of said chamber for introducing said material therein and a discharging opening arranged at the opposite end section of the chamber, a guiding shield extending within said chamber between said feeding opening and said discharging opening and spaced from said bottom and top portions, and separating said intermediate portion, said nozzles being directed to one side of said shield, and a continuous spiral-like partition separating said whirl chamber between respective nozzles and extending about said shield, whereby the introduced material is successively lifted by the fluid stream from a nozzle at one side of said shield and returned to the region of a subsequent nozzle at the other side of said shield until discharged through said discharging opening.
 2. A whirl chamber arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said spiral-like partition includes upright portions disposed at said one side of said shield between respective nozzles and downwardly inclined portions disposed at the other side of said shield for guiding the material to a subsequent nozzle.
 3. A whirl chamber arrangement according to claim 1 further comprising separator means connected to said outlet port for separating said fluid from discharged waste substances, a fluid control set connected to said separator and operable for conditioning the fluid as to its temperature, moisture, chemical adjustment and the like and blower means connected between said control set and said series of nozzles for recirculating said fluid into said whirl chamber.
 4. A whirl chamber arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said separator means includes a dry separator operable for separating light waste components from said fluid.
 5. A whirl chamber arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a central section of said whirl chamber located between said end sections is disconnectably assembled and adapted for receiving, at least, one additional central section matching with said end sections.
 6. A whirl chamber arrangement according to claim 5, wherein said guiding shield together with said spiral-like partition are exchangeably arranged within said whirl chamber.
 7. A whirl chamber arrangement according to claim 6 comprising spare guiding shield with spiral-like partitions having different number of windings.
 8. A whirl chamber arrangement according to claim 1 further comprising additional outlet openings arranged at arbitrary points on the path of movement of said material, said additional opening being provided with closing valves and with valves in front of subsequent nozzles. 